It has long been desired to grow biaxially oriented oxide buffer layers other than CeO.sub.2 directly on textured-Ni and/or Cu substrates, and also to have a single buffer layer on textured-Ni and/or Cu substrates. Also it has been desired to provide an alternative to pulsed laser deposition processes that may be easier to scale up for producing long length substrates.
Recent developments in deposited conductors, both rolling assisted biaxially textured substrates (RABiTS), and ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) based on YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 superconductors are promising, and are herein reported for the first time.
The "deposited conductor" approach described herein is useful for growing superconductors such as REBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7, (Bi,Pb).sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.n-1 CunO.sub.2n+4 (n=1-3), Tl.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Ca.sub.n-1 Cu.sub.n O.sub.2n+3 (n=1-4), Tl.sub.2 Ba.sub.2 Ca.sub.n-1 Cu.sub.n O.sub.2n+4 (n=1-3), and Hg.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Ca.sub.n-1 Cu.sub.n O.sub.2n+2+.delta. (n=1-4) with high critical-current densities. These high J.sub.c conductors will be suitable for transmission lines and various other applications. The demonstrated buffer layers may also be useful for photovoltaics, ferroelectrics, sensors, and electro-optic applications.
The following sections of publications also relate to the present invention, and are hereby incorporated by reference:
X. D. Wu, S. R. Foltyn, P. Arendt, J. Townsend, C. Adams, I. H. Campbell, P. Tiwari, Y. PA0 Coulter, and D. E. Peterson, Appl. Phys. Lett. 65 (15), Oct. 10, 1994, pl961. PA0 M. Paranthaman et al., Physica C 275 (1997) 266-272.